Lubricating apparatus



Patented Apr. v28, v1936 ,UNITED sTAri-:s

LUBmcA'nNG APPARATUS Lutwin C.' Botter, Glendale, Mo., assignor to Lincoln Engineering Company, St. Louis a corporation of Application April s, 193s, vsci-1p1 No. '14,807 e claims. (cl. .em-41.4)

'Ihis invention relates to lubricating apparatus, and with regard to certain more specific features, to portable, hand-operated apparatus of this class.

'I'his invention is an improvement upon the apparatus disclosed in the United States Patent 1,971,778 issued to Alexander P.. Fox and to William F. Boehm on August 28, 1934.

Among the several objects of the invention may. be noted the provision -of apparatus having an improved type of springless outlet valve which is positively prevented from exuding lubricant exteriorly ofthe device but which permits disassembly forfllling and reassembly; and the pro-'- vision of apparatus of this class which is compact and sturdy.4 Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out, hereinafter. 'I 'he invention accordingly'comprises the ele-v ments and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the Ystructures hereinafter described, and the scope of. the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which are illustrated. severai'of various possible embodi- "ments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section showing a completely springless form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modification; and,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar vto Fig. .1 showing another modication.

Similar reference characters indicate corre-V xsponding parts throughout the several views of ,the drawing. Y

Referring now more .particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral I, a cylinder having therein arfollower 3 which divides the cylinder I into a lubricant lcompartment 5 and an air compartnient 1. 1

Removably screwed to the front end of cylinder I is an outlet head 9 provided with av nozzle II whicl; is sealed by means of an internal pack- Rearwardly the. head 9 is provided with a guide' I5 which is threaded into the head and holds in position an internal, cylindric packing seat I1, the latter being held between two metal washers I9. 'I'he packing seat I1 is preferably composed of a4 resilient material, the bore through which is approximately equal to or slightly less thanthe diameter of a cylindric valve 2I. 'Ihe valve 2 I has a round guide nose guide portion 2 5.' The valve an extension 21 whichpasses back to a joint 29,

2| is provided with the latter permitting some Amovennmt between -to that which'is to receive the rod 3| made lower than the 23 and a beveled rearward 'l the extension 21 and extension rod 3l. The rod 3I extends through said cylinder I and through .the follower 3. It will be understood that the follower 3 has suitable sealing means both against the rod 3| and the cylinder I. 5 Rearwardly, the cylinder I is provided with a head 33 having a release valve 35 and an air inlet fitting 31, the latter including a check valve 33.

The rearward end of the rod 3l ,is provided with a piston 4 I operative in a cylinder in said head 33 10 and suitably sealed by means of a packing 4 3. The piston has an extension 45 passing out of the head 33. A shoulder' 41, cooperating with a cap 49 limits the rearward travel of the piston". Outside of the head 33, the extension 45 is pro- 15 vided with a suitable handle or grip 5I for operating the device.

Operation is as follows;

Assuming that the space 5 to the left of the follower 3 is filled with lubricant andthe space 1 20 to the right is lled with'air which was introduced through the tting 31, the nozzle II is .applied lubricant. At this time is positioned to the right (which is alternativeto the position shown in the drawing). 25 This is because of the eectof the pressure at the rear end of the cylinder I which passe'saround the clearance between the rod 3| and thefinner end of head 33.

The air pressure impinges upon the seal 43 of 30 'the piston 4I and therefore drives back the rod 3| with the extension 21 and valve 2 I Under these conditions, the valve 2I is positioned within the packing seat I1. -The pressure of air on thewml- I lower places hydrostatic pressure on the lubricant 35 in the forward end of the cylinder I but this can not force the valve 2 I forwardly, because the eifective area exposed to pressure on said valve 2I is eilective area exposed to pressure on the piston 4|,.s that the preponder- 40 ance of pressure is maintained to set the valve 2| into closed position. However, the. preponder' ance is designed not to be so .much that it would be difllcult to eifect opening operations.

Upon -applying the nozzle I.I 'to a lubricant receiving tting, the handle 5I is forced forwardly by the operator, thus overcoming the preponder- .ance of pressure normally sending the rod 3| backward. This drives the valve 2I to the open s position shown in Fig. 1 andthe lubricant under -pressure of air on the follower 3 is forced through the directing guide I5, paacking seat vI'I and out through the nozzle II. When it is desired to shut oi! the flow, the pressure on leased, and the parts returned to the positions above described, thus closing the valve 2 I.

As lubricant is consumed, the follower 3 works forwardly and finally rests against the end of the tube I 5 whereby its outward motion is limited.

To reiill the device, attached to the inlet fitting 5.3 which has the inwardly opening check valve 55 associated therewith.A The valve 35 in the rearward head is then open and the lubricant forces back the follower 3 while the air behind the follower 3 is exhausted from the valve 35. It is to be understood that at this time no air is allowed to flow into the fitting 31. After the follower 3 is back as far as it l.will go, the lubricant connection is broken at gthe inlet valve 53 and said valve automatically closes. 'I'he valve 35 is then closed and air under pressure is introduced into the inlet 31. Said air is trapped behind the follower 3 by the action of the valve 99. The deviceis then again ready for pumping action.

If an operator does not have a pressure pump for refilling. the head 9 may be unscrewed and removed, and this is possible because of thepos-- Y Y sibility of drawing the valve 2I entirely through the packing seat I 1 and out through the guide I5, the opening 51 permitting this action. The cylinder then may be filled by means of a paddle, or the valve v35 may be opened and the follower 3 drawn rearwardly by `unscrewing the cap nut 49 and withdrawing the rod 3| through the cylinder in head 33. The connection 29 will contact follower 3 moving it backward for the full length of cylinder I, This action draws in a charge of lubricant when the lower .end of the cylinder I lis introduced into a grease supply.

The advantage of the loose connection 29 between the valve 2I and the rod 3| is that the valve may, upon assembly, adjust itself to its best position in the cylindric packing seat I1 for best sealing conditions without abnormally dist ing said packing. The cylinder I5 also aids in guiding valve head 2I into proper position when a reassembly is made after having -removed the head s.

1. The valve 2I which is at the forward end of the gun and operated from the rearward end thereof has no passages or bearings in the head 9 which will permit outward leakage of lubricant.

2. 'I'he head 9 may be disassembled for refilling without making any disconnection of the head" of .,valve 2I, because the same may be .drawn through the cylindric portion of the packing seat I1.

3. 'I'he device is entirely springless in the pre- {ferred form and'springless as to the outlet valve` 2I in all forms. .j

In Figure 2 is shown a modification iniwhich like numerals designate like parts.A In thisform of the invention, piston 4I with its packing 43 is eliminated and there is substituted therefor a return spring 59 operating in a counterbore 6I which is sealed at 63 to prevent air from the cylinder I leaking outwardly aroun'd the spring. While this change introduces a spring which is not in the preferred form (Fig. 1), still the returnV action of the-valve to closed position is independent of the pressure in the cylinder l I. The advantage of the non-leaking valve 2I is retained.

Inv Figure 3 is shown another form of the invention in which all use of compressed air is eliminated-the spring 59 being retained. The packl a lubricant pump may be ing 63 of course is not necessary, because there is no air to be packed against leakage. Further-` more, the rearward head 65 is entirely redesigned because of the lack of the necessity for the fitting 31 and the valve 35 of the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In this last form, the head 65 is provided with an inwardly extending cylinder 61 in which is bottomed a spring 69 reacting against the follower 3. 'Ihe follower3 is driven by this spring 69, instead of by air. The form of the invention shown in Figure 3 is also different from that shown in Figure l by the elimination of the inner packing 48 and substitution therefor of washer I3.' The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which. will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the` scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departingv from the scope of thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying interpreted as illustrative and not in a hunting sense. v c I claim:

1. In lubricatingapparatus, a cylinder, a re- 1.

of said cylinder, a cylindric outlet drawing shall be externally of the said other head for forcing the Y valve to an open position in a direction 'away from said cylinder, and means converging toward I the valve and extending toward the cylinder and adapted to guide the valve into the seat upon as-V .Sembly of the removable 2. In lubricating apparatus, a cylinder, aremovable outlet head thereon, a valve in said head comprising a cylindric seat, a cylindric valve head adapted to engage inwardly with said seat to form a closure, means for operating said valve from a remote point on the cylinder and articulating means connecting said valve head and said rem'ote control means which allows independent Amotion of the valve head with respect to said control means, whereby the valve may independently seeka seat. 3. In lubricating apparatus, a supply cylinder, a removable outlet head thereon, a valve in said head comprising a cylindric seat, a cylindric valve head adapted to engage inwardly with said seat to. form a closure, means for operating said valve from a remote point on the cylinder and means connecting said valve head trol means which allows in ependent motion of the valve head with respect to said control means whereby the valve may independently seek a seat, and guiding means attached inwardly on the outlet head for receiving and lguiding the valve he'ad into said seat upon applying the outlet-head to the supply cylinder. i

4. In a lubricating apparatus, a supply cylinder, a removable outlet head thereon, a follower in the cylinder, a valve in said head comprising a cylindric seat, a cylindric valve head adapted to engage inwardly with said seat to form a closure, means for operating said valve head from a remote point on the cylinder, means surrounding the inlet to the valve adapted to guide the valve head with the cylinder.

aoaa'ea head to the seat when assembling said head with said cylinder, and means extending into the supply cylinder a distance adapted when the head is Y attached to the cylinder, to prevent said follower from ultimately assuming a position outside of said cylinder.

5. In a lubricant gun, a cylinder, a movable follower therein dividing it into an air'pressure compartment and a lubricant compartment, a head enclosing the lubricant compartment and having an outlet, a control member passingV through said follower, a push-type grip on the control member, means lnormally returning the control member to its farthest position'from the gun', the gun being adapted to be supported by said grip and its outlet-pushed into contact with lubricant receiving fittings by pushing said grip toward the gun, a cylindric valve seat in said outlet, a cylindric valve normally cooperating interiorly with said valve seat when the gripV is 'pushed away from the gun and adapted to be forced outwardly from the seat when the grip is pushed 'toward the gun in pushing said outlet to a lubricant receiving tting.

6. In a lubricant gun, a cylinder, a movable follower therein dividing it into an air pressure 'compartment and Aa lubricant compartment, a

head enclosing the lubricant compartment and having an outlet, a control member passing through said follower, a push-type grip on the control member, meansnormally returning the control member to its farthest position from the gun, the gun being adapted to be supported by 1 said grip and its outlet pushed into contact with lubricant receiving ttings by pushing said grip, a cylindric valve seat in said outlet, a cylindric valve normally cooperating interiorly with said valve seat when the grip is pushed away from the gun and adapted to be Vforced outwardly from the 

